Spontaneous directed leaching of slippery lubricant in self-stratified marine antifouling coatings for nonporous surfaces

Abstract

The spontaneous directed leaching of lubricant can improve antifouling efficiency by minimizing adverse effects on marine life. Slippery lubricant-infused nonporous polydimethylsiloxane-based (PDMS-based) coatings with a self-stratified structure were prepared, using non-reactive phenylmethyl silicone oil as the lubricant. The coating adhered firmly to the substrate based on H-bonding interactions and maintained a low elastic modulus and surface free energy. The self-stratified structure ensured that the infused lubricant was centrally stored in the PDMS-cured region and could leach spontaneously and directionally onto the coating surface to enhance its antifouling capacity over time. The study finds that the instability of the unit mixed Gibbs free energy of the self-stratified coating led the lubricant leached onto the nonporous surface. This research widens the applicability of fouling release coatings with lubricant-infused nonporous surfaces from both theoretical and practical viewpoints.